Act of Settlement 1701

The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Act of Settlement 1701, a pre-Union Act, has been extended to Scotland.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: Yes. The provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701 relating to the succession to the monarchy of the United Kingdom were extended to Scotland by Article II of the Treaty of Union with Scotland, incorporated in the Union with Scotland Act 1706.

Devolved Assemblies: Funding Arrangements

Lord Bruce of Donington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the funding rules applied by the 2002 Spending Review to the devolved administrations.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Copies of the updated Statement of Funding Policy, which sets out the funding arrangements for the devolved administrations, have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

G8 Summit: Terrorism

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they will seek to make in the global fight against terrorism at the forthcoming GB summit in Kananaskis.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The summit was an important opportunity to take stock of progress in the fight against terrorism since 11 September and to set priorities for future action in a number of key areas.
	In particular, the UK was concerned to counter the threat of terrorist acquisition of nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological materials in the former Soviet Union, especially Russia, where the world's largest stocks of such materials remain. Our priorities were the destruction of chemical weapons, the dismantling of decommissioned nuclear submarines and the employment of former weapons scientists. GB leaders agreed at Kananaskis to launch the new Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction to help ensure that deadly materials cannot fall into the hands of terrorist groups. The G8 agreed collectively to raise up to 20 billion dollars over the next 10 years to fund projects under the global partnership. As part of the this programme, the UK plans to commit up to 750 million dollars spread over the next decade. The summit saw similar pledges made by other countries and the start of a dialogue with Russia over how best to implement this programme.
	G8 officials have worked since March on a plan to ensure the greater security of international transport, with strong UK support. G8 members continue to work through international fora such as the ICAO and the IMO to encourage others to put in place appropriate transport security measures to guard against terrorism. Leaders agreed at the summit on the Co-operative G8 Action on Transport Security, a plan of action to promote enhanced security of land, sea and air transport while facilitating the cost-effective and efficient flow of people, cargo and vehicles for legitimate economic and social purposes.
	The UK is leading co-ordination of international anti-narcotics assistance to Afghanistan. The G8 discussed the UK's anti-narcotics strategy paper and action plans for combating poppy growing in Afghanistan. As we had hoped, agreement was reached that the G8 would step up efforts to assist the Afghan Government combat opium production and trafficking and fulfil Tokyo conference commitments. Breaking Afghan dependence on the drugs trade will help reconstruction efforts, but the wider impact will be in securing regional stability and cutting one of the cash lifelines that allows terrorists to thrive.

Special Educational Needs

Baroness Darcy de Knayth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many special educational needs statements have been issued for the last two years by each local education authority.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The information requested is shown in the table:
	
		Number of Pupils issued with New Statements of Special Educational Needs (SEN)By local education authority 
		
			  New statements made for the calendar year shown 
			  Calendar year 2000 Calendar year 2001 
			 ENGLAND 33,746 31,432 
			  
			 NORTH EAST 1,984 1,688 
			 Darlington 30 37 
			 Durham 578 461 
			 Gateshead 155 134 
			 Hartlepool 63 62 
			 Middlesbrough 131 122 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 85 95 
			 North Tyneside 170 151 
			 Northumberland 238 204 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 89 83 
			 South Tyneside 123 110 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 111 140 
			 Sunderland 211 179 
			 NORTH WEST 5,155 4,067 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 151 67 
			 Blackpool 78 55 
			 Bolton 240 185 
			 Bury 145 193 
			 Cheshire 436 459 
			 Cumbria 272 356 
			 Halton 108 122 
			 Knowsley 230 151 
			 Lancashire 1,083 950 
			 Liverpool 109 321 
			 Manchester 350 354 
			 Oldham 118 116 
			 Rochdale 158 175 
			 Salford 168 128 
			 Sefton 98 73 
			 St Helens 97 118 
			 Stockport 143 194 
			 Tameside 158 154 
			 Trafford 114 148 
			 Warrington 113 142 
			 Wigan 444 260 
			 Wirral 342 259 
			  
			 YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER 3,773 3,129 
			 Barnsley 189 171 
			 Bradford 410 310 
			 Calderdale 145 154 
			 Doncaster 208 166 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 193 161 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 107 138 
			 Kirklees 346 280 
			 Leeds 492 316 
			 North East Lincolnshire 172 163 
			 North Lincolnshire 142 148 
			 North Yorkshire 365 426 
			 Rotherham 256 252 
			 Sheffield 480 185 
			 Wakefield 152 160 
			 York 118 99 
			  
			 EAST MIDLANDS 2,466 2,525 
			 Derby 149 149 
			 Derbyshire 719 572 
			 Leicester 242 273 
			 Leicestershire 362 400 
			 Lincolnshire 375 466 
			 Northamptonshire 413 484 
			 Nottingham 72 48 
			 Nottinghamshire 106 115 
			 Rutland 28 18 
			  
			 WEST MIDLANDS 4,012 4,109 
			 Birmingham 791 819 
			 Coventry 208 258 
			 Dudley 199 167 
			 Herefordshire 138 130 
			 Sandwell 229 141 
			 Shropshire 160 209 
			 Solihull 112 137 
			 Staffordshire 654 850 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 330 287 
			 Telford and Wrekin 182 163 
			 Walsall 187 170 
			 Warwickshire 339 290 
			 Wolverhampton 166 253 
			 Worcestershire 317 235 
			  
			 EAST OF ENGLAND 2,970 3,171 
			 Bedfordshire 305 295 
			 Cambridgeshire 356 385 
			 Essex 546 591 
			 Hertfordshire 376 455 
			 Luton 89 77 
			 Norfolk 401 468 
			 Peterborough 141 147 
			 Southend-on-Sea 105 138 
			 Suffolk 562 494 
			 Thurrock 89 121 
			  
			 LONDON 5,239 4,870 
			 INNER LONDON 2,037 1,667 
			 Camden 114 166 
			 City of London 1 1 
			 Hackney 139 133 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 110 81 
			 Haringey 147 138 
			 Islington 128 115 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 51 61 
			 Lambeth 235 58 
			 Lewisham 226 209 
			 Newham 226 53 
			 Southwark 179 195 
			 Tower Hamlets 262 233 
			 Wandsworth 125 145 
			 Westminster 94 79 
			  
			 OUTER LONDON 3,202 3,203 
			 Barking and Dagenham 128 178 
			 Barnet 331 313 
			 Bexley 187 204 
			 Brent 170 110 
			 Bromley 193 240 
			 Croydon 197 171 
			 Ealing 246 160 
			 Enfield 195 205 
			 Greenwich 238 112 
			 Harrow 142 104 
			 Havering 114 116 
			 Hillingdon 201 209 
			 Hounslow 188 228 
			 Kingston upon Thames 62 86 
			 Merton 140 138 
			 Redbridge 167 203 
			 Richmond upon Thames 72 119 
			 Sutton 123 133 
			 Waltham Forest 108 174 
			  
			 SOUTH EAST 4,997 4,987 
			 Bracknell Forest 94 90 
			 Brighton and Hove 132 130 
			 Buckinghamshire 338 340 
			 East Sussex 291 264 
			 Hampshire 488 583 
			 Isle of Wight 100 83 
			 Kent 1,151 1,050 
			 Medway 215 171 
			 Milton Keynes 88 104 
			 Oxfordshire 336 348 
			 Portsmouth 142 118 
			 Reading 104 109 
			 Slough 66 49 
			 Southampton 35 27 
			 Surrey 665 721 
			 West Berkshire 110 109 
			 West Sussex 497 521 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 72 90 
			 Wokingham 73 80 
			  
			 SOUTH WEST 3,150 2,886 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 82 72 
			 Bournemouth 108 33 
			 Bristol, City of 234 145 
			 Cornwall 395 355 
			 Devon 401 347 
			 Dorset 301 297 
			 Gloucesteshire 414 458 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 1 
			 North Somerset 112 114 
			 Plymouth 263 211 
			 Poole 46 50 
			 Somerset 202 168 
			 South Gloucestershire 148 170 
			 Swindon 79 78 
			 Torbay 135 136 
			 Wiltshire 230 251 
		
	
	Source:
	SEN 2 Survey 2000 and 2001

Special Educational Needs

Baroness Darcy de Knayth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the decrease in the number of pupils who have special educational needs statements and who have been permanently excluded from schools is linked to a downward trend in the number of statements being issued.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The latest published (final) figures show that the number of pupils with statements in England rose from 252,857 in January 2000 to 258,200 in January 2001 (estimates). The number of children for whom statements were issued for the first time in the calendar year 2000 was 33,746 compared to 35,421 in the calendar year 1999.
	During a comparable period, the permanent exclusion rate for pupils with statements of SEN in the academic year 2000–01, an estimated 0.3 per cent, was three times as high as that for pupils without statements. The rate in 1999–2000 was six times as high.
	Changes to the underlying data collections will, however, affect year-on-year comparability of these rates, but they do present some evidence that the rate of exclusion for pupils with statements has reduced compared with the previous year. We are looking into this. There could be a number of factors involved. We have no evidence at present to suggest that the fall in the rate of exclusions of children with statements is linked to the reduced number of new statements issued.

Special Educational Needs

Baroness Darcy de Knayth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the apparent decrease in the number of statements issued and in early identification and assessment of special educational needs are contributory factors in the sharp increase (19 per cent) in the number of primary school pupils being permanently excluded.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The latest published (final) figures show that the number of pupils with statements in England rose from 252,857 in January 2000 to 258,200 in January 2001 (estimates). The number of children for whom statements were issued for the first time in the calendar year 2000 was 33,746 compared to 35,421 in the calendar year 1999, However, the number of new statements issued for children under five, for example, increased from 6,363 during the calendar year 1999 to 6,518 in the calendar year 2000.
	There could be a range of factors accounting for the 19 per cent increase in the number of primary age pupils being excluded from school during the academic year 2000–01, the comparable period. We are looking at possible factors but have no evidence at present to suggest that the increase is linked to the number of new statements issued.
	A statutory framework is in place to ensure that local education authorities and schools identify and assess children with special educational needs as early as possible and guidance on this is provided in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. The current version came into force in January 2002 and places a greater emphasis on early identification, both during the early years and at every stage of a child's schooling. A £25 million package has been put in place in support of SEN in the early years, including support for establishing SEN co-ordinators in early years education settings and area SENCOs, with a target of one area SENCO for every 20 non-maintained settings by 2004. This is in addition to the £113.5 million being provided over the period 2001 to 2004 to improve the knowledge and skills of staff involved in government-funded early years education, which will include SEN training.

TSE Regulations: Value of Animals Slaughtered

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on the 18 June (WA 77), what are their reasons for considering that it is a "reasonable expectation" for a farmer with high value stock to have to take out private insurance.

Lord Whitty: It is normal practice for people to look to insure valuable possessions against unforeseen circumstances.
	It is relevant to point out that, although scrapie was made legally notifiable in 1993, there was no payment of compensation to farmers for the slaughter of sick animals until this Government introduced such a measure in 1998. The levels of compensation to farmers were significantly increased in December 2001.

TSE Regulations: Value of Animals Slaughtered

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on the 18 June (WA 77), whether they are reviewing the arrangements covering "compensation of animals slaughtered"; if so, whom they are consulting and when the results of the consultation will be made public.

Lord Whitty: The current arrangements for paying compensation for all animal diseases have become fragmented over time and are somewhat complex. I am considering how compensation arrangements can be rationalised so as to simplify the whole approach. It will be some time, probably autumn, before we announce a decision on how we intend to take work on this policy area forward. We will, of course, in time consult widely on this issue.

National Park Authorities Review

Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the report of the review of national park authorities will be published.

Lord Whitty: The report will be published tomorrow. Copies will be available in the House Libraries and the Vote Office. The report will also be available on the department's website: www:defra.gsi.gov.uk/countryside-wildlife. The responses to the public consultation will be deposited in the department's library.

Cancer Research

Lord Ezra: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much other European Union countries spend on cancer research, in particular on research into cancers of the prostate and the breast; and how this compares with the United Kingdom.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Inquiries of the Medical Research Council, the National Cancer Research Institute and Cancer Research UK have all failed to discover a source of the figures requested. Searches of websites for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Heath Organisation), the International Union Against Cancer, the Europe Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Europe Against Cancer have failed to elicit any relevant data.

Reorganisation: Redundancy Costs

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the cost of redundancy payments with the transfer of functions from health authorities to primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Several thousand staff from health authorities and regional offices of the Department of Health transferred employment into primary care trusts and the new health authorities on 1 April 2002. Staff are currently being appointed into substantive posts in the new organisations based on their previous experience and skills. The human resources framework covering these changes set out as one of its key principles that every effort would be made to avoid redundancies in order to ensure that valuable skills and experience were not lost to the service. As a result, all staff affected have been guaranteed employment for a 12 month period ending 31 March 2003. It is expected that the majority will be found suitable alternative employment during that period but it is not possible at this stage to predict how many staff will be unable to find a suitable post. The redundancies which have taken place so far are among the former health authority chief executives. The provisional position here is that health authorities estimate that, at today's prices, they are liable to pay out about £12.5 million in respect of chief executives' severance costs. Final figures for the totality of the changes will not be available until after 31 March 2003.

Reorganisation: Redundancy Costs

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether conditions apply whereby National Health Service employees receiving a redundancy payment have to repay any moneys in the event of taking other National Health Service employemnt.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Redundancy payments to National Health Service employees are governed by an agreement of the General Whitley Council. Under that agreement employees are not entitled to a redundancy payment if (a) they obtain suitable alternative employment with the same or another NHS employer within four week of the date of the termination of the contract or (b) unreasonably refuse to accept or apply for suitable alternative employment with the same or another NHS employer. Before payment is made employees are required to undertake to refund the redundancy payment if these conditions are not satisfied.

Millennium Dome

Viscount Astor: asked her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Millennium Commission advanced moneys to English Patnerships on the basis that it would be repaid in full.

Baroness Blackstone: The Millennium Commission has not advanced any moneys to English Partnerships.

Millennium Dome

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to wind up the Millennium Commission.

Baroness Blackstone: It is currently planned for the Millennium Commission to continue its programme of work until 2005. Handling of the commission's residual duties will be determined in the interim period.

Millennium Dome

Viscount Astor: asked her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Millennium Commission will receive all moneys due from English Partnerships from the dome during its lifetime.

Baroness Blackstone: The division of proceeds of the sale of the Millennium Dome between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and English Partnerships has not been finally ageed, but a fair split will be established. Once NMEC's liquidation is complete, the company's share of the proceeds will revert to the Millennium Commission or any successor bodies.

Trinity College, Dublin: UK Copyright Library

Lord Laird: asked her Majesty's Government:
	How they exercise control over the United Kingdom Copyright Library based in Trinity College, Dublin.

Baroness Blackstone: The UK Government exercise no control over the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.
	The present systems of UK republic of Ireland legal deposit require UK and Irish publishers to deposit publications with the British Library within one month of publication. They also require UK and Irish publishers to deposit publications, if requested within 12 months of publication, within one month of request with the Bodleian Library, Oxford, the University Library, Cambridge, the National Library of Scotand, the National Library of Wales and the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

Montserrat

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in keeping with their commitment to parliamentary democracy in Overseas Territories, they will support Montserrat's membership of CARICOM and the Organisation of East Caribbean States and ensure that it has the necessary entrustments to participate in the freedom of movement and CARICOM single market and economy (CSME) programmes of the region.

Baroness Amos: Her Majesty's Government encourage Montserrat to play a full role in regional affairs, including through its membership of CARICOM and the OECS. As with all British Overseas Territories, the Government of Montserrat require prior HMG approval, in the form of an entrustment, before undertaking international commitments. In response to requests from the Government of Montserrat HMG have already issued several entrustments relating to the territory's involvement in the CARICOM single market and economy.

NEPAD: Zimbabwe

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What evidence, with particular regard to Zimbabwe, they have that African leaders have held each other accountable for sound economic management, promotion of peace, security, people-centred development, good governance and human rights, to which these leaders committed themselves by signing up to NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development) at the recent G8 summit.

Baroness Amos: The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has an implementation committee that has been working to define standards of political and economic governance and design a peer review mechanism to uphold them. They are not specific to Zimbabwe but are part of a long-term African agenda to achieve peace and security, uphold human rights and improve political and economic governance. These are not commitments that were entered into at the G8 summit but are specific to NEPAD. The G8 summit agreed to an action plan for Africa, which has been placed in the House Libraries.

Operation Lancet

Baroness Turner of Camden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to publish the independent review of Operation Lancet.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We have published today Operation Lancet—A Case Study Review Report. Copies are available in the Library.
	The review contains helpful recommendations about good practice in the investigation of police misconduct and lessons which can be applied in the development of the new police complaints system. We will ensure that the recommendations are taken forward as part of that work.
	We are very grateful to William Taylor and the review team for completing the review following the sad death of its initial leader, Sir John Hoddinott.